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What was originally a standout audition during the first episode of this year's series resulted in quite a bit of controversy once the secret behind the trick was revealed.

It's been reported that 'talking and singing' Wendy is possible thanks to a fake, remotely operated mouth over her real one.

Many slammed the setup as cruel and even the RSPCA have got involved, saying last week: "It is not clear if Miss Wendy was wearing any sort of muzzle or mask during the performance on

"However, the RSPCA would be very concerned if it became clear that she was caused distress at any point.

"We will be contacting the show to ascertain what methods were used and how they impacted on the dog."

TV watchdog Ofcom has confirmed it has received complaints while ITV itself has also had objections.

However Simon Cowell has hit back at the complainers and even the RSPCA.

“Everyone knows I love dogs and we wouldn’t allow an act to come on the show if it was unhappy or being mistreated," he said this week. "I understand the charities being worried but we saw the dog after the show and she was happy.

“There’s a lot of real animal cruelty in the world and I think that’s what they should focus on.”

Wendy's owner, Frenchman Marc previously insisted that his work wasn't cruel or unfair on Wendy.

He said: "Wendy loves to perform and the act isn't cruel.

“I’ve been working with Wendy since she was a puppy, training and caring for her for the last five years," he said today. “She loves performing and I would never put her in a situation that would cause her distress.